Bioactive Carbohydrate Polymers (proceedings Of The Phytochemical Society Of Europe)

__Bioactive Carbohydrate Polymers__ is probably the first book dealing with the latest in the field of polysaccharides and related products and their biological activities, especially the immunological effects. The different chapters describe the structure and bioactivity of polysaccharides from plants used in traditional medicine in different parts of the world, especially China, Japan and Europe. The focus of the book is on immunologically active plant and seaweed polysaccharides, pharmacological activities of sulphated polysaccharides of animal and seaweed origin, and on possible activities of polysaccharides in our food. Methods for isolation and characterisation of the polymers with chemical and enzymatic methods is covered, as well as discussions on the different biological test-systems and the information they provide. This book will be useful to scientists and postgraduate students working with polysaccharides and their possible uses, and should be of interest for people working in the areas of chemistry, biology, pharmacy and medicine. Front Matter....Pages i-xiii News on immunologically active plant polysaccharides....Pages 1-14 Bioactive plant polysaccharides from Japanese and Chinese traditional herbal medicines....Pages 15-24 Bioactive compounds from Iceland moss....Pages 25-36 Structural features of biologically active polysaccharide fractions from the leaves and seeds of Plantago major L.....Pages 37-46 Pharmacological Activities of Sulfated Carbohydrate Polymers....Pages 47-58 Relationships between chemical characteristics and anticoagulant activity of low molecular weight fucans from marine algae....Pages 59-84 Immune stimulating properties of di-equatorially β(1→4) linked poly-uronides....Pages 85-93 Immunostimulatory β(1,3)-D-glucans; prophylactic drugs against threatening infectious diseases of fish....Pages 95-106 Extractability of cell wall-related polysaccharides with potential bioactivity and their persistence during fermentation....Pages 107-119 Pectic hairy regions of lemon fruits: a polysaccharide with potential bioactivity?....Pages 121-128 Enzymes as tools for structural studies of pectins....Pages 129-145 Back Matter....Pages 147-157

Bioactive Carbohydrate Polymers is probably the first book dealing with the latest in the field of polysaccharides and related products and their biological activities, especially the immunological effects. The different chapters describe the structure and bioactivity of polysaccharides from plants used in traditional medicine in different parts of the world, especially China, Japan and Europe. The focus of the book is on immunologically active plant and seaweed polysaccharides, pharmacological activities of sulphated polysaccharides of animal and seaweed origin, and on possible activities of polysaccharides in our food. Methods for isolation and characterisation of the polymers with chemical and enzymatic methods is covered, as well as discussions on the different biological test-systems and the information they provide.
This book will be useful to scientists and postgraduate students working with polysaccharides and their possible uses, and should be of interest for people working in the areas of chemistry, biology, pharmacy and medicine.